Pellet gun target trap



g- 1959 w. D. FORTSON 2,901,254

PELLET GUN TARGET TRAP Filed Aug. 8, 1957 Warren 0. Forfson INVENTOR.

Mm w xsm United States Patent i PELLET GUN TARGET TRAP Warren D. Fortson, Clinton, Miss.

Application August 8, 1957, Serial No. 677,012

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-1024) The present invention generally relates to a target construction and more particularly to a target for use in association with a pellet gun whereby the target incorporates the structural features providing a trap for capturing and retaining the projected pellets in a position for access so that the pellets may be re-used.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pellet gun target trap having structural features that will guide all pellets fired towards or adjacent to the target into the target and thus retaining these pellets for reuse.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a target trap used for pellet guns or B-B guns incorporating features which prevents the pellets from ricocheting thereby rendering the device safe for use indoors or outdoors and especially safe for use in training persons in the proper use of firearms.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide a target trap which is economical, easy to use, effective for retaining all of the pellets and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the target trap of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the target trap illustrating the details of structure thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse detailed sectional view showing the structure for joining the corners of the side walls; and

Figure 4 is a partial perspective view showing the resilient mounting and the construction of the retainer plate disposed at the lower corner of the target trap for retaining the pellet.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the target trap of the present invention which includes wall members 12, 14, 16 and 18 of equal length whereby the face of the target trap 10 will be opened with the walls extending in converging and rearward direction and terminating in a rear plate or backing plate 20 secured to the rear edges of the wall members 12-18 inclusive.

The respective abutting inclined edges of the wall members 12-18 inclusive are retained in abutting engagement by an elongated angle iron or L-shaped member 22 secured to the adjacent wall members and bridging the corners with fastening means 24 being provided for securing the angle iron member 22 to the respective wall members as shown in conjunction with wall members 14 and 16 in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Adjacent the rear of the angle-iron member 22 at the upper corner of the target trap 10 and at the rear of the target trap 10 is provided a loop-shaped handle 26 which may be engaged with a supporting member such as a projecting nail or the like on a supporting surface where- 2,901,254 Patented Aug. 25, 1959 by the target trap 10 may be detachably supported at any desired elevation from any supporting member (not shown). As shown in Figure 1, the corners are arranged so that the open face of the target trap 10 is generally in the shape of a diamond with upper and lower corners and two opposed side corners and the rearward convergence of the wall members 12-16 will guide any pellets entering the open front of the target trap 10 into the target trap 10 for retention therein in a manner described hereinafter.

Disposed in the target trap 10 is a target member 28 conforming to the shape of the inner surface of the wall members 12-18 and disposed in spaced relation to the backing member or rear wall 20 and the open front of the target 10. Opposite, side corners of the target member 28 are each provided with inwardly extending notches 30 receiving an endless resilient member 32 which is also secured to an eye member 34 on the rear wall 20 whereby the target member 28 will be resiliently and detachably held in position within a target trap 10. The eye member 30 may be in the form of a cotter key extending through the backing member 20 with the free ends thereof bent outwardly as indicated by numeral 36 for Securing the resilient members 32 to the backing member or rear wall 20. V

The target member 28 is provided with a bulls eye therein and suitable color characteristics may be provided on the front face of the target member 28 if desired.

Suspended centrally of the target member 28 is a circular bulls eye or shutter 42 constructed of foam rubber or similar resilient material. The foam rubber shutter 42 is supported by a resilient and flexible rubber band or the like designated by 44 which has one end thereof extending through an inwardly extending slit 46 in the target member 28, thus supporting the rubber target or bulls eye 42 in overlying relation to the center of the target member 28 whereby a pellet engaging the foam rubber target or bulls eye may pass inwardly through the target member 28 since the same is constructed of pene tratable material such as paperboard.

The bottom corner of the target member is cut oh. as indicated by numeral 48 and also provided with a slit for receiving an elongated resilient band 50 having one end secured to the eye 52 of a cotter key 54 which is attached to the rear Wall 20. The resilient band 50 is attached to the eye member 56 of a cotter key 58 at the forward end thereof with the cotter key 58 being secured to a retainer plate or shutter 60 which is substantially V-shaped in configuration and bridges the lower corner of the target trap for retaining pellets in this lower front corner. The shutter or retainer plate 60 is provided with inwardly extending edges 62 on the converging edges thereof which extend into underlying relation to the adjacent portions of the side walls 12 and 18. It is pointed out that in Figure 2, the edges 62 are inclined in such a manner to fit snugly with respect to the Walls 12 and 18, thereby securely retaining the pellets in the target trap.

When the pellets are projected into the target trap, those striking the face of the target member 28 will pass down therethrough and bounce off of rear wall 20 and will fall by gravity to the interior of the plate 60. Any pellets hitting the inner surface of the wall members 12-18 also will be deflected against the tar-get member 28 and pass therethrough and will pass into the bottom of the target trap by the force of gravity. These pellets which pass through the target member 28 by virtue of their hitting the target member or bulls eye 42 will engage the rear wall 20 and bounce back against member 28 or fall downwardly into the bottom of the area between the wall 20 and the target member 28, and thus roll forwardly along the bottom corner, passing under the cut-away or recessed portion 48 of the target member 28.

The target member 28 may be constructed of corrugated paperboard for preventing ricochet of the pellets While the rear wall is constructed of plywood or the like and the side walls 12-18 may be constructed of hard smooth material such as pressed fiberboard or the like. The plywood rear wall also provides a relatively soft surface so that the pellets are not damaged upon being fired into the trap and the angle of the Wall members is such that the pellet will be deflected into the trap and also Will not cause damage to the pellets thus permitting the pellets to be re-used in a safe and efiective manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A target device for spherical pellet type projectiles comprising four identical wall members each having parallel end edges and converging side edges, means securing the side edges of adjacent wall member together thereby defining a. hollow enclosure having converging walls, the end edges of the Wall members being disposed in a vertical plane with the longer end edges adapted to face a .pellet projector, a vertical rear plate connected with the rear end edges of the wall members, means on the housing and bridging the connected side edges of a pair of adjacent wall members for suspending the housing with a corner at the upper extremity and a corner at the lower extremity, a vertically disposed target plate dis- .posed in said housing and being constructed of penetratable material, said target plate being disposed in forwardly spaced relation to the rear plate and in-rearwardly spaced relation to the front end edges of the Wall member, said target plate having a shape complementary to the interior shape of the housing with the lower corner of the target plate being defined by a horizontal edge thereby providing a passageway from the area between the target plate and rear plate and the area forwardly of the target plate whereby spherical pellets passing through the target plate will engage the rear plate and will drop to the lower corner of the housing and roll forwardly toward the front edge of the housing, and means supported on the lower front corner of the housing and forming a closure for the lower corner of the housing thereby retaining the pellets in the front bottom corner of the housing for access for re-use.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said closure forming means include a retaining plate of triangular configuration, two edges of the retaining plate having inturned flanges in engagement With the exterior surface of the bottom corner of the housing thereby preventing lateral movement of the retaining plate, and resilient means interconnecting the housing and retaining plate for holding the plate in closure forming position and permitting movement of the retaining plate for facilitating discharge of pellets from the bottom corners-f the housing.

References *Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,123,051 Whitman Dec. .29, 1914 1,218,390 Gates Mar. .6, 19.17 1,262,314 Downey .Apr. 9, 1918 1,935,174 Bisaillon NOV. :14, 1933 2,069,822 Douglas :Feb. 9,, 1937 2,535,280 Gartrell Dec. 26, 1950 2,743,106 Schels Apr. 24, .1956 

